Author: Dick Mangrum

Federal unemployment benefits are ending next month for individuals nationwide, and hundreds of Oconeeans and thousands of South Carolinians will be affected. Because the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program is expiring, all payments will cease, regardless of where a claimant falls on the four-tier EUC system. After December 29, South Carolinians filing for unemployment compensation will be eligible for no more […]

Employee giving is alive and well at the Oconee Medical Center. The hospital directors were told last night that individual giving by employees, regardless of size, has added up to a half million dollars since the giving program started eight years ago. Debbie DuBose, executive director of the OMC Foundation, says it’s not unusual, in fact it is common, she […]

Oconee County sheriff’s officers have arrested the second of two suspects in a storage building burglary near Salem. Arrested early today and lodged in the Oconee Detention Center was Charles Benson Cantrell, 45, of Clearcut Drive, Salem, charged with burglary third degree first offense and grand larceny of a value more than $2 thousand but less than $10 thousand. Along […]

A company’s newest expansion project will benefit Richland County but not Oconee. Leon “Butch” Harris, however, says there is a reason for that. Harris, project manager for JTEKT/Koyo, says the automotive systems and industrial components supplier considered several existing locations, but preference went to plants making products similar to the ones being added in Richland County. In an email reply […]

Debbie DuBose promises good, family fun beginning today at the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church on Bountyland Road. DuBose is the executive director of the Oconee Medical Center Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital. Beginning at 9, it’s the annual Christmas Tree Festival to benefit the OMC Hospice of the Foothills, which now is entering a phase three […]

The military has announced that an Air Force officer, graduate of Pickens High School, rescued a drowning girl from the ocean after a riptide pulled her out too far. The praise goes to Staff Sgt. Robert Profitt Jr., a C17 crew chief instructor assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base. Profitt has served in the military […]

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is this year’s recipient of the Tri-County Technical College Philanthropist of the Year award. Blue Ridge has a giving history to the TECH Foundation that dates back to 1986, when it made first unrestricted pledge of $5 thousand. Its largest gift to date came in the form of a $100 thousand pledge in 2010 to name […]

For the first time, Oconee Medical Center employs a psychiatric worker. According to Pat Smith, vice president for patient care, the Monday through Friday availability of Christi Singleton is made possible by a partnership between the hospital and the S.C. Department of Mental Health. Smith told the OMC board that besides the benefit to patients requiring mental health services, Singleton […]

An attorney has been nominated to succeed a minister on the policy making board for Oconee Medical Center. An in-house committee nominated Clemson attorney Corinne Cannon for the at-large seat held by the Rev. Randy Keasler of Westminster. After two terms of four years each, Keasler is ineligible for a third term. Cannon’s nomination goes to the annual membership meeting […]

Walhalla’s new chief of police is shedding light on a community problem which, of late, is more and more prevalent, he says. Chief Ronald Wilbanks said it’s the problem of young people breaking or attempting to break the law against underage drinking. The police have already made cases against 17 to 19 year olds who, though are seen as young […]